Problem: Write the following expression in its most factored form: $2x-14$
Solution: To factor a polynomial, you should first try to find the greatest common factor of all the terms. The factors of $2x$ are $1$ $2$ , and $x$ and the factors of $-14$ are $1$ $2$ $7$ , and $14$ The greatest common factor of $2x$ and $-14$ is $2$ We can factor out the $2$ and put it before the parenthesis. If we divide each of the terms in the original expression by $2$ we get $\dfrac{2x}{2} = x$ and $\dfrac{-14}{2} = -7$ So the factored expression is $2(x - 7)$.